Nutrients, Vol. 18, Pages 408: Hepatoprotective Potential of Curcumin in the Prevention of Liver Dysfunction in a Porcine Model
Nutrients doi: 10.3390/nu18030408
Authors:
Kamila Kibitlewska
Varunkumar Asediya
Krzysztof Karpiesiuk
Urszula Czarnik
Marek Lecewicz
Paweł Wysocki
Prarthana Sharma
Iwona Otrocka-Domagała
Łukasz Zielonka
Andrzej Pomianowski
Adam Okorski
Garima Kalra
Sharmin Sultana
Nihal Purohit
Adam Lepczyński
Małgorzata Ożgo
Marta Marynowska
Agnieszka Herosimczyk
Elżbieta Redlarska
Brygida Ślaska
Krzysztof Kowal
Angelika Tkaczyk-Wlizło
Paweł Grychnik
Athul P. Kurian
Kaja Ziółkowska-Twarowska
Grzegorz Roman Juszczak
Mariusz Pierzchała
Katarzyna Chałaśkiewicz
Katarzyna Kępka-Borkowska
Ewa Poławska
Rafał Radosław Starzyński
Magdalena Ogłuszka
Hiroaki Taniguchi
Frieder Hadlich
Henry Reyer
Michael Oster
Nares Trakooljul
Avon Augustin Nalpadan
Siriluck Ponsuksili
Klaus Wimmers
Chandra Shekhar Pareek
Wojciech Kozera
Curcumin, the major polyphenolic constituent of Curcuma longa, has been widely investigated as a hepatoprotective adjunct due to its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. This review evaluates the relevance of curcumin for the prevention and management of liver dysfunction and hepatitis in pigs by synthesizing available porcine evidence and integrating mechanistic insights from translational liver injury models where pig-specific data remain limited. Across experimental hepatic injury contexts, curcumin administration is most consistently associated with reduced biochemical and structural indicators of hepatocellular damage, including decreased aminotransferase activity, attenuation of lipid peroxidation, and enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defenses. These effects are mechanistically linked to suppression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly NF-κB-related transcriptional activity and inflammasome-associated responses, together with reduced expression of key cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Concurrent activation of Nrf2-centered cytoprotective pathways and induction of phase II antioxidant enzymes (including HO-1, GST, and NQO1) appear to constitute a conserved axis supporting hepatic oxidative stress resilience. In swine-relevant infectious settings, available data further support antiviral activity against selected porcine pathogens, including classical swine fever virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, potentially mediated through interference with lipid-dependent stages of viral replication and modulation of Kupffer cell activation. Although combination strategies with established hepatoprotective approaches are conceptually attractive, current synergy evidence remains heterogeneous and largely extrapolated. Overall, curcumin represents a plausible adjunct candidate for supporting porcine liver health; however, translation into practice will depend on resolving formulation-dependent bioavailability constraints and strengthening the pig-specific evidence base.
Curcumin, the major polyphenolic constituent of Curcuma longa, has been widely investigated as a hepatoprotective adjunct due to its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. This review evaluates the relevance of curcumin for the prevention and management of liver dysfunction and hepatitis in pigs by synthesizing available porcine evidence and integrating mechanistic insights from translational liver injury models where pig-specific data remain limited. Across experimental hepatic injury contexts, curcumin administration is most consistently associated with reduced biochemical and structural indicators of hepatocellular damage, including decreased aminotransferase activity, attenuation of lipid peroxidation, and enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defenses. These effects are mechanistically linked to suppression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, particularly NF-κB-related transcriptional activity and inflammasome-associated responses, together with reduced expression of key cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Concurrent activation of Nrf2-centered cytoprotective pathways and induction of phase II antioxidant enzymes (including HO-1, GST, and NQO1) appear to constitute a conserved axis supporting hepatic oxidative stress resilience. In swine-relevant infectious settings, available data further support antiviral activity against selected porcine pathogens, including classical swine fever virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, potentially mediated through interference with lipid-dependent stages of viral replication and modulation of Kupffer cell activation. Although combination strategies with established hepatoprotective approaches are conceptually attractive, current synergy evidence remains heterogeneous and largely extrapolated. Overall, curcumin represents a plausible adjunct candidate for supporting porcine liver health; however, translation into practice will depend on resolving formulation-dependent bioavailability constraints and strengthening the pig-specific evidence base. Read More